Orlando, Florida (AP) – A 14-year-old boy died late at night from an amusement park in the amusement park above the Statue of Liberty, along a busy street in the heart of Orlando’s tourist district.
Sheriff officials and emergency crews responded to a call late Thursday at Icon Park, which is located in a tourist area of the city along International Drive. The boy fell from the Orlando Free Fall ride, which opened late last year.
He was taken to hospital where he died, sheriff’s officials said. No further details about the teen or incident were reported.
A video that aired Friday night on NBC Today shows passengers on the trip discussing seating restrictions on Thursday night. The ride then began up the tower before it was later noticed that someone was falling off the ride.
“We are absolutely saddened and devastated by what has happened and our hearts are grieving for this young man’s family,” said John Stein, sales director of Slingshot Group, the company that owns the ride, on Friday morning.
The Free Fall attraction and the adjacent Sling Shot attraction have been closed indefinitely, Stein said. His company operates two rides in Icon Park.
“We are working with all the other investigations at this time to find out what happened,” Stein said.
Stein said there had previously been no issues with the Free Fall trip, which opened on the holidays.
The Florida Department of Agriculture, which oversees amusement rides, with the exception of the state’s largest theme parks, has launched an investigation, and inspectors were on site on Friday, spokeswoman Caroline Stonesper said in an email.
The voyage is 430 feet (131 meters) high and is considered the world’s tallest detached tower, according to the park’s website.
The trip holds 30 passengers as it rises into the air, spins around the tower, and then leans face down to the ground before a free fall at more than 75 miles per hour (120 km per hour), the website said.
The ride has straps that are slung over the shoulders, with two handles at chest level that automatically switch to the rider.
